Seven Wishes
by Kawaii-Aika
Summary: Some days, I feared for my grades. Other days, I feared for my reputation. But most days, I feared for my life.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi hi! New story! If you want to check out my other ongoing one, it is Defying Order and it is a GaLe fanfic! This one is more on the dark side. If you want a more light hearted fanfic, I would suggest you read that one instead. This one is really tragic and dark as you probably saw in the description. But I hope you read this one too!**

Words: normal

 _Words: Erza's Journal_

 _9/10_

 _Some days, I feared for my grades. Other days, I feared for my reputation. But most days, I feared for my life._

 _When my English teacher handed me this journal, she told me,_

 _"Don't be afraid to write what you really think, Erza." The scary thing was, she stared directly into my eyes as if she knew something about me, something I didn't know. The funny thing is, this was 5 years ago. I never had the motivation to sit down, open up this journal, and actually write. I had other things on my mind: grades, boys, the normal girly things. That, however, was back when I was in the third grade. I was living a carefree life. But then… but then…_

"Well well well, look who we have here." A high pitched voice cackled. Erza looked up from her book slowly. The owner of the horrible voice was a tall and snarky looking girl. Her bright pink hair was cut in a bob, framing her face nicely. Erza could see her blonde roots coming back in, proving that the girl's pink hair was dyed, something that the said girl denied all the time.

"I would appreciate it if you would leave me to my studies, Mary." Erza replied politely with an underlying tone of animosity.

"Or else what?" Mary sneered. "Will you kill me like you did to your so called best friend?" Erza gripped her book tightly, so tightly that her already pale hands turned white.

"I think you hit a nerve, Mary." One of her accomplices giggled. The trio of oddly colored haired girls began to cackle evilly in a soft manner, almost as if they thought their cackling was light and feminine. Erza pressed her lips together tightly, willing herself to stay put.

"But you don't want to do that, do you, Erza dearest? You don't want to get in trouble with the police again, do you?" The trio cackled once more.

"If you would kindly leave me alone, Mary, I am trying to study." Erza said again, giving Mary a sweet smile. Her eyes were different, however. Her dark brown eyes were a whirlpool of coldness. The glare that Erza subtly sent Mary sent chills down the pink haired girl's back. Her accomplices saw it too and pulled Mary back nervously.

"She's a murderer." One of them whispered.

"You need to stay away from her. She's dangerous." The other whispered. Mary quickly turned her back to Erza and walked away briskly, her high heels clacking on the wooden floor. Once the trio was gone, Erza sighed heavily and looked down at her book.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day, and Erza went to put her books away in her locker. DIE. She sighed when she saw that word written on her locker in bright red paint. She quietly opened her locker, ignoring the profanities being thrown at her.

"Stay away from that *****" She heard friends tell friends. She saw boyfriends hugging their girlfriends closer to them when she passed by.

"I heard that she murdered her best friend because they liked the same guy."

"She's a jealous butthole."

"She's a nobody that tries to be somebody."

"She killed someone to get attention."

"She's a psychopath."

"She grew up in a mental institute."

Erza kept her composure all the way to her house. She unlocked the door and went in quickly, bolting the door behind her. She climbed up the stairs wearily to her attic bedroom. She threw her backpack on the ground and sunk to the floor beside her bed, burying her head between her knees.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Erza whispered to herself. She reached for the picture frame in front of her, the one that had a permanent home on the ground. She picked it up and stared at the photo. "Milliana, what did I do to deserve this? I-I'm sorry!"

 _I don't know how much longer I can stand it, Millianna. You told me that you forgave me. You knew that I didn't mean to do it. I was just trying to protect you, trying to protect us. I know what I did was simply out of self defense. But you weren't there. You weren't there to testify for me at court. You weren't there to help me through rehabilitation. Because of me._

 _My parents don't talk to me anymore. They leave me breakfast on the table and money for lunch. They come home and cook me a dinner. We sit there at the table and eat in silence. And after I return to my room, I hear them yelling at each other. I don't know what they say. I put on my headphones and block it all out. I don't want to hear it anymore. My world is upside down now, Millianna. My dreams of becoming valedictorian or the student council president are crushed. It's not because of you, obviously. It's because of me. I am who I am, and that isn't enough for this world. I'm not good enough for this world. No one will love me for who I am. No one will try to understand me. All they will see in me is the girl who killed her best friend. The girl who killed her best friend. The girl who killed. The girl…_

 _You see… Most people like me… They end up killing themselves. They pick up that knife or that bag of pills and they use it to take their own lives. I would do it. I would. But I am not strong enough to do it. Somewhere deep inside me, I want to be stronger than that. To be the strong one that lives. The one that stands up against all these people and become SOMEONE. That despite all this, I can become who I want to be. I want to be that person. For now, I can just sit here in my room and cry for hours. No one will accept me because I am The Girl._

"Hi!" Erza continued writing in her practice book, finishing the extra credit exersices since she had nothing better to do.

"Hellooooo?" Erza looked up to see a pink haired boy looking down at her impatiently.

"Were you… talking to me?" The boy looked exasperated.

"Uh YEAH? Who else would I be talking to, the window?" She looked around the room to see that no one else was there.

"…Are you new?" she asked the pink haired boy.

"Yup! Natsu Dragneel! I just transferred. I wanted to see what the school was like so I got here kinda early. I wasn't expecting anyone to be here though. And you're in my class too! That's cool! And oh are you doing homework? Wow so early in the morning? You must be really smart. I'm not that smart you see. My dad always told me to get my head out of the clouds and actually do some work. He thought that taking me to martial arts would make me want to concentrate more but it actually just made me crazier. Not that I don't like martial arts. Martial arts is actually a really good way to relieve your stress."

Erza's eye twitched. This Natsu kid was ruining her perfectly wonderful silence with his nonsense chatter. The stranger thing was that he was actually talking to her as if she were a friend, not a despicable murderer.

"Hey, do you think you can be my guide?" Natsu interrupted her thoughts. She was taken aback.

"Um. I would think it would be better if you found yourself another guide. I am not the best choice when it comes to these things." He blinked a few times.

"Why not? You seem smart and you seem to know your way around as if you've been here before, which you have because it's already a week into school, right?" Erza's eye twitched again.

"If you value your school life, you will stay far away from me, pink haired boy."

"It's salmon, not pink!" Natsu protested indignantly.

"Whatever it is, stay AWAY from me." She growled, then stood up quickly and walked away.

"Hey wait!" She heard him run behind her and she quickly broke into a sprint, clutching her books to her chest. She had the upper hand since she knew the school and quickly ran to a secluded area where no one would find her. She sighed and sunk to the floor, her back against the wall. That Natsu boy had better stay far away from her if he wanted to be accepted in this school. A few minutes later, the first bell rang. She returned to class and took her seat in the back. Natsu was introduced to the class and placed in a seat near the front. Erza sighed in relief. It was nice that he actually talked to her, but she was used to her solitude and she wanted this Natsu boy to be safe. He seemed untouched by her horrid world and she wanted him to stay that way.

 _There was too much behind me for Natsu to be involved with me. That would only be putting his life in danger. I didn't want him to be involved in my mess… I was already on careful watch from the authorities because of…the incident. Even if he tries to get closer to me, to be my friend, I'll push him away. I will let other people see him with me. I will let them tell him of my mistake. Then, he'll stay away. They all do. There isn't one that stays. Not one. No one. No one stays… Even my parents… they don't support me._

 _If someone were to ask me how I was doing and asked me to answer honestly… I would say that I was feeling horrible, lonely, upset, and absolutely tired with life. I'm tired of being shunned, of being left behind for someone else. I'm tired of being the outcast and the one that no one wanted to be friends with. It was like this even before Millianna's death. But… that's a story for another day._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 _9/17_

 _Another week of school gone by, there isn't much to write about on a daily basis… I met him again today. He was accompanied by two other people. They stood silently behind him as he invited me out for lunch. Out for lunch? After all these years, he finally came to see me… and ask me out to lunch? Was he not afraid? Afraid of me? Afraid of what I did?_

"Erza, how have you been?" He asked, taking a bite of his sandwich. Erza set down her spoon nervously. She dared not to touch the knife or fork for fear that his bodyguards would accuse her of attempting to murder him.

"I have been well, Simon, how are you?"

 _Simon was a dear friend of mine and Millianna's. A very dear friend. I… I had a crush on him before. It was a very slight crush. He was always so kind to me. He protected me and was kind to me. He took care of me and Millianna and was with us in times of need. Millianna and I are bullied for being the oddballs. I always stood up for the both of us. Millianna was like a little sister to me. I would fend them off and come home bruised and battered. It didn't faze me. I just needed to protect my little sister. And then Simon came along. He helped us both. He told me, "You don't need to sacrifice much to protect Millianna anymore. I will sacrifice for the both of you." He protected us from bullies and was the one who brought me and Millianna back to the light. We had a lot of fun together: celebrating birthdays, playing games, eating strawberry cake at the local café. It was the most fun I had ever had in my life. My parents loved Simon and Millianna with their whole heart and soul. They told me that they were good friends for me. They enjoyed seeing me play happily with the two for hours on end._

"I am fine." Simon replied shortly. "It has been a while since I last seen you, Erza." Erza clenched her fists underneath the table. She couldn't fathom how Simon could sit there so calmly and speak as if nothing was wrong, as if he hadn't deserted her the night of Millianna's death.

"It has." Erza replied softly, finding no other words to say to her once crush. Suddenly, Simon laughed out loud, a vicious and maniac laugh. Erza's eyes widened, and she backed away slowly. "S-Simon?" She asked nervously.

"I can't believe I'm sitting in front of you, speaking to you as if we were on even terms…murderer." He hissed. Erza stood up and took a few steps back. He stood up as well, advancing toward her. His bodyguards quickly approached and kept a close eye on her and the surroundings. Erza scanned the room nervously. Where was everyone? Why wasn't anyone coming to her aid?

"No luck for you, Erza." One of the bodyguards laughed. "We cleared out the area. There is no one to help you here." Simon sneered at her.

"Poor Erza. You, Millianna, and I were so close back then. But you liked me didn't you. Your little childish self had a crush on me. I don't blame you." He smirked and placed a finger under her chin. Erza's eyes widened even more. She had never seen Simon like this. She had never seen Simon so out of character before. This wasn't Simon. This wasn't Simon. He wasn't like this. Someone had changed him.

Erza's self defense classes kicked in. She kneed him in the stomach and quickly sprinted to the door. His bodyguards ran up to her and attempted to grab her. She slipped of their reaching arms. One grabbed onto her hair and pulled. Her scream rippled through the air. She kicked backwards and bit the hand that held onto her. The bodyguards cried out in pain. Here, they pulled out their guns. BANG! BANG! A flash of red flew through the air. Erza jumped through the glass windows with her eyes shut tightly. The glass pierced her arms. BANG! BANG! The pain began to cause Erza's eyes to tear up and her vision to blur. She ran blindly. She needed to get away, far away. As far away as possible.

"STOP HER!" She heard a shout. She ran faster, as fast as her feet could take her. The pain was beginning to overcome her. There was only so much her soft human body could take. Erza began to feel herself become weak and her vision began to black out. THUD THUD THUD THUD. The sound of her heavy footsteps began to slow. She could hear the cars behind her and the sound of running footsteps.

"No…" she whispered. She couldn't die here. She must live, live… Did she want to live? Erza tripped over a crack in the sidewalk. "No!" It was over. She tumbled to the ground.

"We've got her!" Someone shouted.

"No…No…" Erza whispered, using her arms to push herself up. Her weak arms collapsed under her weight. She felt someone scoop her up and the rush of air sweeping her hair back. The side of her head was pressed against someone's hard chest. She could feel the thud of her savior's footsteps against the sidewalk. Someone's hot breath blew against her face. Erza could feel the arms tighten around her, securing her in place.

"Shoot." She heard a male curse. "Hold on. Don't die on me." She could feel him pick up his pace. She felt one arm leave her body and the sound of a door slamming. Erza felt herself being lowered onto a bed and the warm arms releasing her.

"Who…" her voice cracked. She attempted to open her eyes. She caught sight of a flash of blue.

"Shhh." The male said. He pressed a cup to her lips. She opened her mouth wearily and she felt water trickle down her throat. "Try not to fall asleep." He instructed. Aside, he shouted. "Wendy! I need help down here!" Light footsteps could be heard and a little gasp.

"What happened to her?" A high pitched voice asked. It was obviously a little girl, Erza observed. How could a little girl help her? Erza struggled to stay awake as the male had instructed. She knew that if she fell asleep now, she would risk never waking up again.

"Shot, jumped through a glass window, overexhasution." The voice replied. The little girl, Wendy, approached Erza and gently ripped the sleeve of her shirt.

"Leave the room, please." Wendy instructed the male. The male left soundlessly. Wendy set to work. Erza could feel her little hands expertly moving across her skin. "This will hurt." The childish voice warned.

 _I always wondered how Wendy did it. I knew she was very young. But the way she treated me was so expertly. I cursed myself for being so weak; so weak as to rely on someone who was so much younger than me. I felt so disgraced and ashamed that someone so young was so much stronger than I was. I'm not saying that I wasn't grateful for what she did for me. I want to be the one helping others, not the one causing others inconveniences. I've been the damsel in distress for too long…. First being saved by Millianna, then Simon, then Natsu, then the mysterious male, and this little girl Wendy. It was time I saved myself._

"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble." I whispered as Wendy sewed up my wounds. I tried to ignore the sting and the pain and concentrated on starting a conversation with the young medic.

"It is no problem. I worry for you. How did you get hurt so badly?" After a few moment's silence, Wendy stuttered. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry. I'm sorry!" Erza cried out in pain as the girl poked her with the needle. This caused the younger girl to burst into another string of sorrys.

Once Erza's wounds were cleaned and stitched up. Wendy tucked the older girl in with a sheet. "You should get some rest." Wendy said. It didn't take Erza long to be sucked into the depths of slumber.

When she awoke, Erza found a blue haired male sitting in the corner by whatever she was lying on. He looked up when she stirred and quickly approached her side. His face was etched with worry, scrunching up his good looks. A red tattoo was stretched above and below his right eye. When be bent over her, his blue bangs swept across is forehead. Erza's breath caught in her throat as she stifled a gasp.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed with concern. "You seemed very battered and beaten."

"I'm fine." Erza replied, attempting to sit. He tucked his arms beneath hers and pulled her up in a sitting position, propping a few pillows behind her back. Erza stiffened at his touch and couldn't help noticing his well toned build. He noticed her tense and quickly let go.

"I apologize for touching you so intimately when we are but strangers." He said courteously. He bowed slightly. "My name is Jellal. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss…."

"Erza." Erza replied. "Thank you for saving me and bringing me here to help me." His eyes darkened.

"Who was that man and his accomplices? Do I need to report them to the authorities for attempted murder?" Erza shook her head vigorously.

"Please don't."

"Are you afraid of him coming back to hurt you?" Jellal's eyes were dark and menacing, his hands were clenched in fists. "If you are, I can take him out."

"Please don't." Erza said again. "He…. He is a dear friend of mine. I loved him. I don't want him to get hurt." Jellal focused on her. His dark eyes were swirling like a storm, and Erza was nearly lost in their depths.

"If he hurt you like this, he isn't worth your love." The underlying animosity of Jellal's voice sent shivers down Erza's back.

"I'll handle him." She replied firmly. "Thank you for your help, Jellal." She began to get up, but he stopped with a hand on her arm.

"I have a friend who is coming to pick you up." His gaze was fixated directly on her. "Erza, believe it or not, you and I are going to be very involved now. I don't want you to get hurt."

"You have helped me enough." She said harshly, wrenching her arm from his grip. "I don't want you to be involved. I don't want to see any innocents hurt." The doorbell rang, deterring Jellal's and Erza's conversation. Silently, Jellal stood and opened the door. A familiar pink haired man stood there, his usual bright smile void from his face. Jellal walked Erza to the door and stood there, holding it open.

As she descended the steps into Natsu's waiting black Prius, he called out to her,

"Erza, dear, I am anything but innocent." The door shut on her bewildered face.

"C'mon Erza." Natsu said, attempting a bright smile for his classmate's sake. He helped her into his car. She observed the house she was in and the surroundings as the chauffer started off.

"You and this Jellal character are acquainted?" She asked faintly, fully aware of the thick gauze bandages wrapped around her arms. Her filthy clothes and body felt strange against the rich leather of the car. Natsu had buckled her in and was now offering her a cup of water.

"My sister works for him." Natsu explained, forcing the glass into her hands. He gave her a hard look and looked satisfied when she took a sip. "Wendy. You met her right?"

"Wendy is your sister? How is she such a talented medic at such a young age?"

"She learned from our nursemaid, Porlyusica. She's always had a healing talent." Natsu declared proudly. A small smile played onto Erza's lips as she watched Natsu brag about his younger sister.

"It must be nice to have such a connection with your family…" She muttered softly, her hands tightening around the glass. Natsu gave her a startled look.

"Sorry…" he said sheepishly. She shook her head.

"It's fine. You have nothing to apologize for." She cast her gaze to the window. She saw little children gasping and pointing as the expensive car drove by. A small smile appeared on her face as she watched them dance around their mother's.

"Erza…" Natsu said softly. "I promised Jellal I wouldn't ask, but… what happened to you?" Erza turned to look at him. He shivered at her glare. "Sorry…" Her look softened.

"I know you all are concerned about me," Erza said, addressing Jellal in the matter as well. "But this is my battle to fight. I don't need you to help me. I don't want you to get hurt. I made a mistake and they are simply making me pay for it. It is what I deserve, and you shouldn't get involved."

"But Erza!"

"I have let you interfere enough. They saw Jellal help me, now he is in great danger. I will tell them to leave him alone."

"They won't listen to you." Natsu looked at Erza with the same dark eyes Jellal had given her a few minutes ago. "People like that don't step down until they get what they want. They would do anything possible to get what they want."

"Well they want me dead." Erza replied under her breath, hoping Natsu wouldn't hear. His ears twitched and his eyes widened.

"What?! Erza, you should call the authorities! This isn't a laughing matter. Your life-"

"My life is mine to control." She hissed. "Stop the car." The chauffeur slammed on the brakes.

"Erza!" Natsu grabbed onto her arm as she reached for the door.

"Let me go, Natsu!" Erza screamed. In one smooth motion, she wrenched her hand out of Natsu's grip, threw open the car door, and jumped out.

"ERZA!" Natsu leapt out after her. She sprinted down the road, clutching her side.

"Kuso…" Erza cursed, attempting to keep her speed. Natsu was unharmed and would surely catch up to her in a few strides. She turned a few corners and sprinted as fast as she could.

"ERZA, STOP IT YOU'RE HURTING YOURSELF!" Natsu screamed, picking up his speed. Erza did the same, pushing her energy to the limits. Her breath came in harsh pants, her side stung like hell. Her legs burned and her vision was blacking over.

"Not again." She muttered. "Please no. Not again." She caught a glimpse of a familiar street and quickly turned down the lane. She saw her house out of the corner of her vision and ran for it. Her fingers fumbled with the lock and key and she let herself in, slamming the door behind her. She heard Natsu skid to a stop outside.

"Erza… I know you're in there. You must be really hurt. Please let me in." He pleaded. She crawled toward the living room, breathing heavily. "Erza! Please, please. Don't hold this burden alone. Let me help!" Erza pulled herself into the living room and continued her crawl to the couch. Each movement left her body in more pain and she was finding it increasingly difficult to move. "Erza are you okay?!" Natsu's voice was frantic.

"Yes…" Her voice was barely above a whisper. She knew that he couldn't hear her. Erza heard a few beeps and a dial tone. Natsu's voice came back.

"Jellal? Quickly, come down to 9923 Silverwood Ln. It's Erza." He said. Erza began to crawl toward the door in an attempt to stop Natsu from calling anyone else to her aid.

"No…" Her voice cracked. Her lips were parched and her throat was drier than it has ever felt before. A few moments later, a knock was heard on the door.

"Erza? I'm coming in, okay?" Jellal's voice came through the door. Without waiting for her to answer, the lock clicked and the door was pushed open. Jellal, finding Erza crumpled on the ground by the door, quickly dropped to his knees and gathered her into his arms.

"I'm not a damsel in distress." Erza murmured, mustering up strength to push his arms away.

"You aren't a damsel in distress, Erza." Jellal replied, lifting her off the ground. "But let me be your knight in shining armor this once, okay?"

"No. Don't. I told you not to get involved." She shoved him harshly with all the strength she had left. Surprised, Jellal dropped her. Erza tumbled to the hard wooden floor. She cried out in pain but quickly muffled her voice with a hand over her mouth. "Leave the house and don't come back." She said, uncovering her mouth.

"Erza-"

"WHY DON'T YOU ALL JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?" She screamed. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR ME. I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS BY MYSELF FOR A WHILE NOW, OKAY?! WHEN I WANTED HELP, NO ONE CARED, SO NOW THAT I CAN FEND FOR MY OWN, PLEASE, HEED MY WISHES!" She rose to her feet unsteadily. She stood on her own two feet and stayed their stiffly out of pure stubbornness.

"Erza, please, sit down, rest."

"Leave my home." Her eyes were menacing and her hands were in fists. Her eyes were the ones of a murderer or a person who had seen too much to be innocent. Her voice sent chills down the blue haired man's back. Sixteen year old Erza had seen too much and had gone through too much for her mind to handle. Her best friend's death took a toll on her and it didn't help that no one had supported her through the years. Now that there was someone who reached out to her, she refused to believe that they were true to their word. She was independent now. She didn't need anyone's help.

Jellal gave her an exasperated look. He wanted nothing more than to help the girl. From the moment he saw her, he knew that she was someone who was strong, physically and mentally. The only reason why she couldn't fight back to her full potential was because her opponent was someone she cared about. From the moment he saw her, he knew that she was the one he wanted to protect despite her obvious strength. He wanted to be the one to share her burden.

"Erza, please, I know how you feel. I don't want you to suffer the way I did." Jellal whispered, reaching a hand out to the younger girl. Twenty year old Jellal had gone through too much for him to count. He had seen too many things that he wasn't supposed to see. He had been alone for far too long. He had always longed for someone to help him although he put up a strong front in order to ward off the "bad guys". He saw himself in Erza and wanted nothing more than to help her through this.

"Do you understand how I feel?" She asked, staring him straight in the eye, issuing a challenge.

"I have hurt too many people, ruined too many lives." He replied, casting his gaze to the ground. "I seek redemption." She hobbled over to him unsteadily and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"If you seek redemption, it should be away from your past." She said softly. "Staying with me will make you hurt more people and ruin more lives." Jellal gave her a shaky laugh.

"Helping you would make me feel like I am someone who is of some worth." He turned away. "But I think you need some time alone. I will come back later to check on you." He mumbled. "Take care."

 _I'm not sure if knowing that these people are looking out and caring for me makes me feel happy or afraid. Part of me wants to accept their help and their friendship and try to help them as well, but the other part of me wants to hide away from these people. Surely, they will turn on me as well. Everyone who has ever befriended me or was close to me left after all… But maybe, they will help. Maybe Jellal and Natsu and Wendy can be my new allies in this horrible war against the_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **A/N: Hey guys, Aika here! Thank you for all your reviews, favorites, and follows! Starting now I will be replying to your review in PM if you have an account. If you are a guest, then I will try to sneak in a reply in my author's note! So if you have any questions or comments, please review! I thank you all for your continued support.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. Hiro Mashima owns them. I do however, own my OCs that I throw in here to make the AU work.**

 **….**

 _9/19_

 _Jellal had left me so that I might be alone and collect my thoughts. It has been 2 days since I had met him and Wendy. I'm not sure what to do. I have been alone for too long. It was all I could do to put up this front and be the person I am today: someone not too special actually._

 _I used all my strength to get myself into my room and tuck myself in. When my parents came home, I refused dinner. They had questioned me and for the first time in forever, went to check on me. When they saw my arms and legs and body covered in bandages, they merely shook their heads in disappointment._

 _"Who did you kill this time?" My father had asked._

 _"Do we have to go to court again?' My mother had sighed. Neither of them asked how I was doing, if I was hurt or in pain. They just assumed that I was a psychopathic serial killer who would get into fights every now and then. If I came home severely hurt, they would praise the person who fought me._

 _"Someone has fought back against you, little murderer." They would say. "Someone has escaped death." They don't know that it was me who was in danger of being killed and that I was not the murderer in this case. How hard would it be for them to take my side for once?_

…..

Erza, in her school uniform, decided to wear a blazer and knee high socks that day to cover up her bandages. When she opened her front door, she found Natsu standing there with a shiny black Porsche behind him.

"Yo!" He said, flashing her a bright smile and holding up his hand in a peace sign. Erza sighed.

"I'm assuming you are going to pick me up every day from now on?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course we are." A familiar deep voice said. Erza looked to see Jellal get out from the driver's seat.

"You could be classified as a pedophile for hanging out with us minors so much." Natsu said to Jellal. The older man simply shrugged. He opened the passenger door and gestured to it with the other hand.

"After you, Miss Erza." She stepped into the car and he closed the door behind her. Jellal walked to the driver's side once again while Natsu opened the back door complaining about Jellal's lack of chivalry. In the car, there was a silence. Jellal started up the car and drove toward the school.

"How old are you?" Erza asked, breaking the silence.

"Me?" Jellal asked, looking over at her. Erza nodded. "I'm twenty so as Natsu said, I could be classified as a pedophile for hanging around the two of you."

"I see." Erza said in response. They arrived at the school. Jellal nodded at Erza.

"I won't be opening the door for you. It would be dangerous for me to be seen in a public place such as this. My apologies."

"It was never your job to open the door for me." Erza muttered. "Thank you for the ride." Natsu opened the door and stepped out, waiting for Erza.

"Anytime." The older male replied. Erza clambered out of the car, narrowly missing the roof with her head. Natsu slammed the door shut.

"Seeya later, old man!" He shout-whispered to Jellal. Jellal gave him a glare and drove off. "C'mon, Erza! Let's go inside!" Natsu grabbed the red head's hand and dragged her into the building. Shocked, Erza let him. Once inside, however, she wrenched her hand from his.

"You're not supposed to be seen with me?" she hissed. "Do you want to forfeit your reputation?" He gave her a toothy smile and shrugged. Just as they entered their classroom, the bell rang, and the teacher walked in.

"Alright, brats, take your seats." The teacher said grumpily. Erza hurried to her seat, placed her bag on the floor beside her, and opened her notebook.

"Write down this problem and once you're finished with it, you can go home for the day." The teacher said lazily, seating himself down at his desk and pulling out a book.

"But sir, what about our other classes?" One girl asked. The teacher waved his hand in her direction, not looking up from his book.

"I'll write you all a pass. Now shut up." Erza finished her problem quickly and hurried out the door. She heard a clatter of paper and pens as someone else clambered after her.

"Oi, Erza, wait up!" She sighed and slowed down, allowing the pink haired idiot to catch up to her.

"I'm assuming you didn't finish your problem." Erza said calmly, continuing to walk out of the school. Natsu shrugged.

"Not like the teacher is going to check it anyway." He pulled out his phone and pressed a few keys. "I texted Jellal to come pick us up. Wait with me?"

"I think I'll walk home." Erza replied, starting in the direction of her house. Natsu caught her arm and dragged her back.

"No can do! You're coming home with me. Jellal's orders." Erza sighed again, but complied and stood by Natsu near the pickup area. A few moments later, the familiar black Porsche pulled up beside them. Erza pulled open the passenger door and climbed in beside Jellal, knowing that Natsu would protest against her sitting in the back.

"You guys are out early today." Jellal commented, taking Erza's bag and putting it in a compartment. Erza pulled the door shut.

"Yeah the teach was being a lazy butt." Natsu replied. Erza could feel his feet pushing against the back of her seat. Jellal, noticing this, turned to glare at the boy. Natsu laughed and removed his feet. "Watch the road, old man." Jellal rolled his eyes at the pinkette and turned back to the front. He pulled the car up beside Erza's house and parked it. He turned around to address her.

"Collect your belongings. You're going to come live with me." He said.

"You sound like a pedo." Natsu commented. Erza ignored him.

"Why?"

"You clearly aren't happy at home, Erza." Jellal replied.

"My parents will be concerned when I am not there." Erza replied, casting her glance out the window. She could feel two pairs of eyes looking at her. She heard the unasked question hang in the air. 'Do you really believe that, Erza?' The two asked, without saying anything. Erza's gaze trailed down the car door, looking at the fine leather that surrounded the handle. Her gaze flitted back up to the two boys who sat there, awaiting her response. Natsu's eyes were filled with concern. He reached out a tan hand and placed it on her shoulder, offering her a toothy grin. Jellal had narrowed his eyes slightly, examining the girl before him. Erza looked at Jellal, considering her options. Would she be happier with them? No doubt about it, but she didn't know who they were. Would she leave her parents for them? Yes, yes she would. Long gone were the days where her parents would greet her with warm and caring smiles. Long gone were the days where they sat together in companionable silence, enjoying their food and each other's company.

Now, it was just her. Erza just lived her life like she was the only one who lived in the house. Her parents still provided for her, and she was grateful for it. But she knew that as soon as she hit eighteen, they would stop. She would have to leave. She would have to find somewhere else to stay, somewhere to work. Who would allow a murderer to work? Her record was ruined forever. Erza looked at the car window. A scared and helpless red haired girl stared back at her. A scared, helpless, dependent, and tired red haired girl. A girl that was too afraid to do anything. A girl that was too afraid to live. A girl would convinced herself a thousand times a day that she needed to live, but she didn't believe herself anyway.

"Erza, we just want to help you." Jellal murmured.

"I know…" she whispered. "That's what I'm afraid of." If she left now, she could never go back. As soon as her parents knew that she was gone, they would never welcome her back. 'Good riddance' they would say. Erza clasped her hands together and stared down at her lap. Her long red hair fell on either side of her face, allowing her to stare at the silky red strands. She took a deep and shaky breath and looked up at the two boys with determined eyes.

"Your decision, Erza." Jellal said.

"I do not want to come live with you." Erza declared firmly. The two rose to protest, but she held up a hand to silence them. "I wish to make peace with my parents first." Her eyes softened. "You two have given me much more confidence than I have had for a long time. I want to speak with my parents and attempt to explain to them what has happened." Jellal gave her a soft smile.

"You are strong, Erza." Erza smiled in response and pushed open the door of the Porsche. She closed it softly behind her and began to ascend the steps into her home.

"Jellal, when are you going to tell her?" Natsu asked, turning to his friend.

"I don't think I can…" Jellal replied. "If I tell her now, she'll never trust me."

"It's better than having her find out from other sources, man."

"I know." Jellal sighed.

….

Erza pushed open the door to her home and stepped inside. Usually, she didn't come home this early. She usually walked home so it took much longer. She also took a longer path in order to avoid the other students who walked this way. Because of her earliness, she knew that her parents were still in that house and had not yet left in order to avoid her homecoming. As she stepped into the kitchen where her parents sat and talked, she saw the two look up in surprise. The three stared at each other for a very long time until Erza finally broke the silence.

….

 _I think that at that moment, the moment I finally spoke to my parents, there was something in me that cracked. Something that made me feel desperate and helpless, more so than I had felt in a long time. I felt that the walls I had so carefully constructed around my heart broke down in that moment. It felt like…I was the one holding me back. And that everyone was waiting for me to make a move. It was an unfair world, after all. They didn't want someone to come save me. I had to save myself. That, at least, was something I have always known._

….

"Hello, Mother, Father." Erza said softly. Her parents looked startled, having not heard their daughter's voice for so many years.

"What do you want." Her father replied, his voice grazing the border between calm and anger. Erza's parents were tense and there was a trace of fears in their eyes. Her mother looked at her uncertainly while her father gripped his phone tightly. Erza, was terrified herself. She gestured to the third chair at the table.

"May I have a seat?" She asked, voice trembling. Her mother gave a short nod. The red haired teenager lowered herself into the chair and stared at the tablecloth. "I…" Erza began. "I've been getting good grades." Surely her parents have noticed?

"Okay?" Her father said in response. Erza's level of confidence was dwindling.

"Despite the fact that I've been bullied." She watched her parents' expressions. "I don't have any friends… and… I was attacked by someone the other day… and… I was severely hurt and nearly died… but someone saved me… and showed me care and compassion for the first time since…" Erza trailed off, her voice getting choked up. She took a deep breath and continued. "And they were total strangers, but they made me feel wanted and loved… more than I have ever felt from… family members and my… so called friends…"

Erza saw her mom looking extremely concerned despite the blank look on her face. It nearly made her chest burst. Her mother still loved her, somewhere deep down. Erza could feel her eyes welling up. She looked back down at her lap.

"Leave." Erza was shocked at her father's cold voice. "You found people who would accept a despicable murderer and a disgrace you are. Leave and never return. We're done providing for you." Erza stared at him, astonished.

"D-Daddy…"

"YOU ARE NOT TO CALL ME BY THAT NAME ANY LONGER, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! And my last name is no longer yours. You will no longer be Erza Vermillion. You are Erza. Plain. Old. Erza. NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT." He slapped her right across the face and sent her to the floor. He was standing now, fuming, hand still in the air. Erza's mother had jumped up as well, eyes looking between the two, mouth open to say something but was unable to bring herself to. Erza got up, shakily.

"You… I will leave…" she whispered, then summoned up her last bit of courage. "But don't you dare say I deserted you or I took advantage of your kindness or anything of the sort. Don't you dare say that I left you despite your care because you… you never cared for me! If you don't want me to be Erza Vermillion anymore than so be it! If anyone is to be disgraced by that name, it's me." Her words were harsh, but at this point, she couldn't take it any longer. Erza had tried to reach out to her parents only to be thrown out. She had been a fool to hope that they cared for her. She gave them one last look and stormed out of the house.

The shiny black Porsche was still there, passenger door open, waiting for her. She threw herself inside and into Jellal's arms, sobbing.

"Take me away from them." She said between sobs. Her dark eyes were misted over with tears as she looked up at Jellal. His shirt was soaked, but he just held her closer to him.

"Your wish is my command." He whispered, then buckled her in. Natsu pushed Erza's door shut and clambered into the back. Erza took one last glance at her home as Jellal pulled away. Her home full of warm childhood memories and the darkness of the despair and neglect.

…

 _Was I sorry I left? I don't believe so, Millianna. I felt like I was getting a new life here. I had conquered one of my problems…despite the fact that the conclusion wasn't much of a happy ending. I can't expect much, after all. Life has no happy endings. My parents hated me and that was that. There was no fairy godmother to come in and change their minds about me. I was a fool to hope that they would sympathize with me and help me with my problems. At least, now if they have a heart anywhere in their bodies, they could feel guilty. At least now they know what I have gone through. Should I have tried to explain that your death wasn't my fault? No… It wouldn't have worked if I did. They wouldn't believe me. I have already tried to explain the situation to them on countless occasions._

 _And now? Is it a fairy tale for me going to live with Jellal? I am not sure. He is not my knight in shining armor, Millianna, I know that for sure. I cannot let anyone save me. I must save myself if it's the last thing I do. For now, I will let them care for me. As soon as I catch my bearings, I will save myself and give back to them. I will._

….

 **Please read and review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **A/N: So as I promised, here are the responses to the different reviews. If you reviewed under a fanfic account then I have replied to you in PM.**

 **Here's a quick shoutout to Firebird04 who has reviewed every chapter in my story so far. I thank you for your continuous support.**

 **Many of the guests that reviewed simply left their name as "Guest" so I have no choice but to reply to each by "Guest". I apologize if you do not know which Guest I am talking to. I guess I'll reply to them in the order I received them so here goes!**

 **Replies to Reviews:**

 **Guest: Yep! No longer Erza Vermillion. And the birth of Erza Scarlet hmmmm? We'll have to see about that. (Who am I trying to fool, everyone knows what I intended to do with that, right? XD) Thank you for reviewing!**

 **Guest: You're very welcome for the update and awwwww you love me? That's so sweet… I really don't know what to say to that! Thank you for reviewing!**

 **Guest: Awww I'm sorry I made you cry. (Or am I sorry?) I'm glad that the story is feelsy enough for you. And I know I know, poor Erza** **L** **The feels will just continue, my friend. Here are some tissues –hands tissues- and good luck! Thank you for reviewing!**

 **Alrighty then, on with the story! Something happened to my indent key so if the format is off, I deeply apologize.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. I do own the plot of this fanfic and my OCs however.**

 **….**

 _Moving into Jellal's place was extremely… nervewracking although I have experienced things like… getting shot at and having to run for my life. I recognized the place since it was the same house Jellal had brought me to when he saved me. I saw Wendy again. She was extremely shocked to see me and quickly checked on my injuries. She forced me to go take a bath, locking Jellal and Natsu outside, and helped me with tending to my wounds._

 _She explained to me that she and Natsu were orphans and were only adoptive siblings. Their adoptive parents, Igneel Dragneel and Grandine Marvell were very kind to take the two of them in. Their adoptive parents were divorced, however, and decided to allow the two to do as they pleased. Natsu took Igneel's last name and Wendy took Grandine's. The two were still extremely close despite the fact they lived apart._

 _Wendy assured me that both Natsu and Jellal were good people and only wanted to care for me. She also told me not to worry about her brother's eccentric behavior. She was around Jellal's home a lot, for reasons she couldn't tell me. I had to wait for the time to come where Jellal would tell me about it, she had told me. She had also warned me against going into Jellal's room and the storage room. That unless I was spending time in my room, I was to stay off the second floor. I…am curious to know why, but in order not to take advantage of their kindness, I will listen to what they have to say._

 _…._

"Erza! It's time for dinner!" Erza heard Wendy call.

"I'll be there in a moment!" Erza called in reply. She was currently in her new bedroom. The pale blue wallpaper scattered with small pink flowers was very welcoming. Why Jellal had such a feminine like room was something she questioned. When she had first entered the room, she was mesmerized by the elegance of it. The scent of lavender had wafted up to her and a cool breeze whipped through the open window. Sunlight streamed through the sky blue curtains and gave the room a beautiful glow. The bed was full sized and sat on a sturdy looking bed frame that was painted pearl. Elegant silver designs adorned the bed frame and complimented the bed sheets and comforter. The bedding matched the wall paper. The only difference was that the blue of the blankets were more of a periwinkle blue than the blue of the sky. The flowers were larger and more of a rose color. A gold gilded lamp sat on the bedside table with a beautiful shade portraying the images of a menagerie. Erza had been astonished by the perfection that was the room and the obvious work put into making it. How was it that Jellal had such a beautiful room prepared. It must've been for a past girlfriend or perhaps a sister, or mother.

"Erza!" Wendy called again.

"Coming!" Erza hurried out of the room and down the polished wooden staircase. Her long ponytail whipped around behind her and the comfortable material of her jeans made it easy for her to leap down the steps. She entered the kitchen where Wendy was currently spooning sauce onto a careful arrangement of spaghetti on a plate. The little girl turned around to give Erza a smile. She too had her hair in a high ponytail. She was wearing a frilly cream apron that protected her navy blue gown. Her deep brown eyes lit up upon seeing Erza.

"Spaghetti for dinner." Wendy informed Erza. "Is that alright?"

"Perfect." Erza replied, moving to stand beside Wendy. "Do you need help?" Wendy gave her an eager smile.

"You can pour the sauce while I arrange the spaghetti, Erza." She told her and quickly moved over to where the basket of spaghetti was left. Erza took a plate and began to serve the sauce. Steam rose from the plates and the delightful smell of tomato sauce filled the kitchen. Once all the plates were finished, Erza and Wendy carefully placed them onto the table. Erza counted four plates. One for herself, Wendy, Natsu, and Jellal, she assumed. When the diners came to the table, she found that she was correct.

"Looks delicious!" Natsu exclaimed excitedly. "Thank you for the food!" He declared and grabbed a bottle of Tabasco and poured the lot on top of his spaghetti. Erza stared at him.

"Natsu likes his food extra spicy." Wendy whispered, giggling. Erza laughed softly with her. Jellal, seeing Erza laughing allowed a smile to appear on his usually stoic face.

"Do you like your room, Erza?"

"Yes, it's very nice, thank you." Erza said in reply. Natsu groaned.

"You two are so formaaaallll." He complained. The other three occupants of the table shot him a look. He laughed sheepishly and continued his meal.

After dinner, Wendy and Erza did the dishes then the siblings left, leaving Erza and Jellal to themselves. The two were resting in the living room. Erza had her homework in her lap and was attempting to figure out a few math equations. She felt the couch shift and saw that Jellal had taken a seat beside her. She forced herself to seem nonchalant and continued to do her work.

"It's been a while since I've done math." Jellal mused, looking at her work.

"Well of course." Erza replied.

"Erza… what did your parents say to you?" Jellal asked. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became dark and tense. Erza's pencil paused in its path.

"My father… he…" She took a deep breath and calmed herself. She couldn't break down again. She needed to remain strong. "He disowned me."

"Disowned you?" Erza could hear the surprise and anger in Jellal's tone.

"Yes… now I'm Erza… just Erza…" She whispered, tightening her grip on her pencil. She stared down at the worksheet she was working on. Tears began to well up and she did her best to hold them back. She couldn't cry, not here, not now, not ever. She felt a light touch and quickly looked up. Jellal had taken up a long lock of her long red hair.

"Such beautiful scarlet hair…" He murmured.

"J-Jellal?!" Erza stammered. He looked up at her, straight into her eyes.

"Why don't we call you 'Erza Scarlet'? It's the color of your hair, that way, I won't forget it!" He gave her a soft smile. Erza felt her heart skip a beat as she gazed into his eyes. They were dark, stormy, intimidating, yet strong, caring, and dependable.

 **(A/N: That quote belongs to Mashima-sensei! I saw the chance to use it! HEHEHEHEHE)**

"I-I…" Erza, bit her lip. No… she couldn't cry… she couldn't. But looking into the depths of Jellal's eyes made her lose it. In one swift motion, her homework was on the ground and her arms were around Jellal. She could feel him stiffen slightly at her touch but he relaxed and wrapped his arms around her.

"Shh…" He whispered, stroking her hair. "It's alright."

"Thank you…" she whispered. "Thank you…"

"What do you need to thank me for?" Jellal asked, slightly confused.

"For giving me a new name, a new identity… a new reason to live… a stronger will to live." Erza replied. She hugged him tighter. "Thank you for helping me, for being willing to help me despite who I am."

"No… Thank you Erza…" Jellal murmured into her hair. Erza carefully released him and sat back in her seat. She gave him a bright smile and he gave her one in return. Erza, despite her calm appearance, had a near heart attack inside. Her heart was pounding so quickly and so loudly that she was sure Jellal could hear it. She quickly picked up her homework from the ground and bent over it, filling out the problems, making sure her long scarlet hair covered up the scarlet tinge on her cheeks. Jellal gave the scarlet haired girl a questioning glance, but realized that she was slightly embarrassed of what she did. He laughed inwardly leaned back in his seat, looking up at his ceiling. His cheeks felt hot and he knew they were also red with embarrassment. He excused himself from the room to cool off. Erza, bent over her work, was too distracted to do anything. What was this feeling? The last time she felt anything close to this was… Simon. Erza cleared her mind. She couldn't afford to fall in love with anyone. She was an intelligent girl and she knew what she felt for the older man. It wasn't possible to be in a relationship with him. It was impossible.

….

Erza knew when Wendy arrived, for the smell of pancakes woke her from her slumber. She pushed back the soft blankets and swung herself to where her legs hung off the bed. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, long scarlet hair cascading across her shoulders. She slipped out of bed and winced at the cold floor beneath her bare feet. She padded over to the dresser and picked up her brush, combing out her silky locks. It was Friday, meaning she still had school. Erza pulled out her school uniform, already washed and ironed, and placed it on her bed. She shed the silk nightgown she was wearing and pulled on the stiff colored blouse and the short skirt. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and pulled on her knee high socks. She pulled on her blazer, grabbed her glasses, and tucked them in the pocket of her blazer. She opened the door to her room and descended the steps, following the smell of fresh pancakes.

"Good morning, Erza!" Wendy called cheerfully, flipping a pancake.

"Good morning, Wendy." The scarlet haired girl noticed that the younger girl was also dressed in uniform. It was much like hers except the tie was green rather than blue. Erza went to Wendy's side and as the younger girl stacked the pancakes on a plate, Erza poured new circles of batter onto the piping hot pan.

"Go eat, Wendy, I'll cook these." Erza told her. Wendy gave her a smile and began to pour syrup over her stack of pancakes. Another plate was waiting at the table for Jellal most likely. The thought of him brought redness to her cheeks, so she quickly diverted her attention.

"My sister is coming over later." Erza heard a familiar deep voice say. It sent tingles down her spine. She did not turn around and continued to flip pancakes.

"She is?" Erza heard Wendy say. "It has been such a long time!"

….

 _He had a sister. Surely the beautiful room I was residing in belonged to her. If this girl came and saw that her room had been taken over by a stranger… a well known murderer of the area, how would she feel? I certainly don't want to impose on her. Especially if this was the home she stayed in. But I wonder, what was she coming home from? Is she Jellal's older sister or younger sister?_

 _No matter, this is not a matter that I should meddle in. Whoever this sister was would want nothing to do with me. I would have to leave before she returns. I knew that this was way too good to be true. I knew that this wouldn't turn out well._

 _…._

In class, the students sat idly as usual. Their first period teacher was a lazy one and insisted on reading strange magazines in class, occasionally lending one to the student who asked. Every now and then, they would work on a math problem, something easy so that it wouldn't be too difficult for the teacher to grade. Today, however, the teacher seemed more at attention. The students continued to be idle, but the teacher would look over at the door every now and then. Erza, in her seat working on some math problems on her own, observed the teacher's actions.

"Oi, redhead." A snarky voice said. Erza sighed and turned in the direction of the voice. As she expected, the disgusting pink haired girl stood there, smirking at the scarlet haired girl.

"Yes?" Erza said tiredly.

"I heard you got kicked out of your house. Hah. About time. No one wants a murderer like you. Where are you living now, eh? On the streets with your gang?" Mary cackled alongside her accomplices.

"What I do and what happens in my life is none of your business." Erza replied calmly.

"Or is it? I hear you come to school in a fancy car every day now." The girl sneered at Erza. "Who did you threaten to get you that car, hmmmm? Why haven't the police locked you up yet? You shouldn't even be around with us. You're a murderer and you're ugly too." The three girls seemed fearless despite the fact they knew Erza was a murderer, or well not an intended one. The girls, despite the fact that they called the scarlet haired girl a murderer, knew that she didn't intend to murder anyone. They relished the fact that Erza had murdered someone and used it to their advantage, constantly shaming her and preventing anyone from trying to be friends with her. Natsu rose from his seat and was about to head over to them, but a blue haired girl beat him to it.

"What are you three doing to her?" It was an unfamiliar voice, speaking so loudly that the entire class turned to see what was going on. Erza looked to see a bluenette, significantly shorter than she was. As soon as the girl noticed all eyes on her, she shrunk back slightly and laughed nervously. "I got ahead of myself, didn't I?" She murmured to herself.

"None of your business, shortie." Mary said to the bluenette, towering over her small frame. "I suggest you back off."

"Hey. If you're going to pick on me, leave others out of it." Erza growled, rising from her seat. Standing, she was taller than Mary and more intimidating. She couldn't fight back for fear of suspension. The bluenette stared at Erza.

"I can do whatever I want, murderer." Mary hissed in response. "And you can't do anything about it. I'm going to beat up this shortie right here and now and you are going to watch." She began to walk toward the blue haired girl.

"That isn't very smart." A deep voice laughed. His laugh was even more evil sounding than the trio's cackles. Mary looked up slowly. A tall and buff guy stood there with a wild black main and shark teeth. Piercings lined his face and large iron cuffs around his wrists. He stood there, arms crossed, red eyes boring into the souls of the bullies, daring them to take another step closer to the bluenette.

"Uh…" Mary said nervously.

"Gajeel and Levy, I'm glad that you two are already making friends, but please come to the front for your introduction." The teacher said calmly as if the tension wasn't thick in the air. The two students walked to the front of the room. The blue haired girl stepped forward first. She raised a hand holding a peace sign and smiled at the class despite the fact that she was being bullied just a few seconds ago.

"The name is Levy McGarden, a pleasure to meet you." The guy walked forward beside her.

"Name is Gajeel Redfox. I dare you to cross me." He gave a pointed glare to Mary. Murmurs quickly filled the classroom.

"Levy and Gajeel?"

"McGarden and Redfox?"

"THE Levy McGarden and THE Gajeel Redfox?"

"The child genius and the martial arts prodigy?"

"The star crossed lovers of the wealthy?"

Erza failed to see what all the fuss was about and it was obvious that the two new students were completely comfortable with all the attention, Gajeel more than Levy.

"If you brats have any questions for the two, might as well ask now and never again." The teacher shouted over the noise. "So use your time wisely." When a bunch of students began to scream questions, the teacher shouted, "ONE AT A TIME PLEASE. RAISE YOUR HAND." The classroom quieted and a bunch of hands were raised. Levy pointed at someone in the first row.

"Is it true that you two are dating?"

"Eh." Both students shrugged.

"Please tell us!" The student pleaded. Gajeel smirked and pulled the small bluenette close to him She turned away, cheeks red with embarrassment. He placed a hand on the side of her face, forcing her to face him and smashed his lips to hers. The boys wolf whistled and the girls d'awed as the two kissed in front of the class. The teacher, perverted as he was, put down his magazine to watch the two. The simple kiss began to evolve into a full on makeout session, the two holding each other tightly, hungrily moving their lips against each other. Finally, the teacher cleared his throat and the two separated: Levy blushing deep crimson and Gajeel smirking.

"That answer your question?" Gajeel laughed. Levy punched him in the arm, pouting, her lips slightly swollen from the kiss. The students began to throw questions at the two again until the teacher finally forced the two to sit down and the other students to shut up. Levy, while passing Erza's desk, slipped something into the scarlet haired girl's hands. Erza looked down and saw that it were two small cards. One read:

Levy McGarden

Junior Division Private Investigator

Rank: Master

The other read:

Gajeel Redfox

Junior Bodyguard & Officer

Rank: Master

The back of Levy's card had words written in neat script. _Meet us on the rooftop at lunch and we will explain._

Lunch came and Levy and Gajeel were called to the office. Levy shot an apologetic glance at Erza as the two proceeded to the office.

After school, Jellal picked Erza and Natsu up as usual, but even after the two got into the car, he did not start up the attention.

"Why aren't we going yet?" Erza asked.

"You'll see." The older man replied. The door opened again and Levy and Gajeel entered the car.

"Hey, bro." Levy said, ruffling Jellal's hair. He gave her a cold glare. She laughed and sat down beside Gajeel who slung an arm comfortably around her. Jellal rolled up all the windows and Erza noticed they were a shade darker than before. Erza watched as Jellal caught Levy's eyes in the rearview mirror and gave her a slight nod.

"Erza Vermillion, correct?" Gajeel's voice drawled out.

"No." Erza replied. "That is not my name."

"It isn't?" Levy asked. Erza saw her eyes widen in the rearview mirror. Was this petite girl really a private investigator? She looked young and innocent.

"No. Her name is Erza Scarlet." Jellal answered for Erza. "No questions asked."

"Of course." Levy nodded and pulled a manila folder from her school bag. She flipped it open and scribbled something on the document inside. Erza could see that her picture and information was on the profile. There was also an official investigation seal on the documents. So she was official. Erza was afraid that it was just an imposter working with Simon to plot and kill her. Levy noticed the girl's glance and gave Erza a smile.

"You must be wary of me and Gajeel." Levy said softly. She pulled out a badge and flipped it open, revealing an official seal and her identification card. She motioned for Gajeel to do the same. Grudgingly, the burly man pulled out his own identification. Once Erza nodded, the two stowed their badges away once more.

"Levy is my younger sister." Jellal said, spinning the steering wheel to the right, turning onto another street.

"Oh!" Erza exclaimed and shot a cautious glance at the girl. If need be, she was sure she could hold off Levy. Erza was sure that her own strength was much more than the little girl. "Am I occupying your room, Levy?"

"If it's the lavender room you're talking about, then yes." Levy replied. Erza held Levy's gaze. Levy felt chills run down her spine. The red haired girl was extremely intimidating despite her situation.

"It is." Erza stated.

"You don't mind, do you?" Jellal asked, his eyes staring into the rearview mirror.

"Course not! I'll just take the guest room with Gajeel."

"No funny business." Her older brother warned with a pointed glare at Gajeel. Levy flushed red.

"Jellal!"

"Gihi, no promises, Mr. Older Brother." Gajeel smirked. Levy punched her boyfriend on the arm.

"Don't give him the wrong idea!" She shouted indignantly; face as scarlet as Erza's hair.

"Shoot." Jellal muttered. "Shut up, everyone." The car was silent. "We're being trailed." Erza glanced at the rearview mirror and saw a sleek black car following them.

"Is that the only car?" Levy murmured.

"No, there are two further behind, waiting to come in." Natsu replied. He had slipped his hand into his bag.

"Don't, Flame Brain." Gajeel hissed.

"It's alright." Levy whispered, slipping her own hand into her bag. Gajeel mumbled something under his breath and reached into his bag. Erza didn't turn around to watch their actions for fear that the cars behind would suspect something. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Levy holding a small handgun. Erza heard the slight clicks of a loaded gun and knew that the other two also had such weapons. How did they manage to take those to school with them without being caught?

"Erza." Jellal still had his eyes trained on the road, driving calmly. "In the middle compartment there are two guns. Take one out and keep it for yourself. Do not load it, just hold it. Take the other one out, do not load that one either, and place it in my lap." She took the two guns out as instructed. She placed one by her side and put the other in Jellal's lap. She picked up her own gun. Holding the cold handle in her hand gave her bad memories: memories of running down the street, attempting to save Millianna, knocking over a gang member, picking up his gun and firing in his direction. How was she supposed to know that the person had grabbed Millianna and used her as a human shield?

"Do not use the gun unless necessary, Erza." She heard Levy say. "I know that you don't like holding such a weapon. If they start firing first, Jellal, use Maneuvering Technique #45. We might be forced to stop. If we do have to stop the car, Natsu use Formation #21. Gajeel, you know what to do, and Jellal, take Erza and run."

"Are you going to call for reinforcements?" Jellal asked.

"Already have." Gajeel replied. "They should be waiting on Rozan Ave."

"Hopefully we can get there before they start to shoot." Jellal mumbled.

"Do you think they know that we've noticed them?" Natsu asked.

"They would be stupid if they didn't, but let's hope they're stupid." Levy said.

BANG

"Yeah they aren't stupid." Gajeel said.

"What did they hit?" Jellal asked. Levy peered out the window.

"Nothing important, just the bumper. Did you bulletproof this thing, bro?"

"Every part of it."

"Even the tires?"

"Yep." The enemy was gaining on them. There was no point in trying to hide anymore seeing that they had already made the first move. The three enemy cars began to drive toward them at full speed.

"Begin the technique." Levy ordered. Erza was slammed into the window as Jellal veered sharply to the left, slamming his foot on the accelerator.

"How do the police not know this is going on?" Erza asked, her breath knocked out of her. She gripped the armrest tightly with one hand, gun in the other.

"There's nothing much they can do about it without having to evacuate the civilians." Natsu replied.

BANG BANG BANG

"Return fire?" Gajeel asked, readying his gun.

"Return fire." Levy confirmed. Jellal pushed the emergency button and a command center of buttons slid out. He quickly pressed an orange button and a special compartment opened in the back. Levy, Gajeel, and Natsu quickly grabbed a few vests from inside the compartment. Levy tied her hair back in a messy ponytail and slid on a bullet proof vest. She snapped on a pair of goggles. She crouched to the car's floor and peered into the hole the compartment had slid out of. Erza could see the other car close behind. Levy reached underneath the seat and pulled out a sniper rifle. She placed it on the edge of the seat and peered through the scope. Her finger squeezed the trigger.

BANG BANG BANG

"Bulletproof?" Gajeel asked, adorning his own vest.

"Yeah…" Levy groaned. Jellal took another sharp left then right. Erza held onto her seat for dear life.

"Their cars have stopped." Natsu reported, peering through the window.

"Double your speed!" Levy commanded. Jellal floored the accelerator.

BANG

Their car flipped from the explosion. Jellal slammed down a few buttons, unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed onto Erza, pulling her close to him. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Levy, Gajeel and Natsu holding onto handles. Their car landed upside down but none of them were hurt due to a series of cushions inside. Jellal pushed another button and the top of the car, now on the floor, opened. Levy pressed a strange gun at the asphalt and fired it. A hole opened in the ground and she did not hesitate to jump in. Gajeel and Natsu quickly followed. Jellal shoved Erza down the hole and jumped in, sealing it behind him.

….

 _If I were to describe the experience of going down that hole, it would just be terrifying. It was terrifying to not know what was happening, terrifying to not be able to see, and terrifying to not know what was going to happen to me. I was sliding down a slide of some sort, locked in a harness so that it would be impossible for me to crash to anyone. How did I get put in a harness? I don't know._

 _Every other time I thought I was going to die… those were nothing compared to this. A car chase, an explosion, and being thrown into the unknown. At least I had the assurance that Jellal, Natsu, Levy, and Gajeel were somewhere with me. But I feel bad… Their lives were at risk because of me. I don't care if it's their job or if they had experienced something worse. All I know is that they were in danger right now all because of the people who hate me and want me dead. This is what I wanted to avoid. This is what I had avoided: involving others in this. For the past few years, I had done so well to isolate myself from others so that only I would be targeted and no one else._

 _What have I done… I didn't mean to make so many people hurt because of me. Maybe it would've been best to just take my own life back then. Maybe it would be better if I just allowed myself to be killed. Then everyone would b e safe, right? Simon won't have to spend an eternity tracking me down and killing me. My parents wouldn't have to live with the same of having a daughter who was a murderer. Jellal and all the others would no longer have to risk their life for me. It is a win win situation for everyone. I thought it would be selfish to kill myself back then, but now… I realize that it is even more selfish that I am alive. No one should care about me. That is final._

 _…._

 **A/N: And that's a wrap on today's chapter! Let's have a vote! Do you think that Erza will be better off dying or staying alive?**

 **…Not like anyone is going to read this, but hey, I tried. Tell me what you think in your review! Thanks for reading!**

 **~Aika**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Super duper duper late chapter. My excuse? Well I guess my only excuse is…school. AP and whatnot ruining lives of people everywhere. Uh… Sorry for the cliffhanger? I didn't mean for the next update to come out this late. Just things came up XD.**

 **Since it's been such a long time since I last updated this or well worked on this fanfic for the most part, I won't be replying to guest reviews in this chapter. I will try to do so next chapter, but um… no promises!**

 **Well, please enjoy the chapter and pardon my lateness!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. I do own the plot and whatever OCs I throw in.**

 **….**

 _I am ashamed to say that I fainted while in that crazy slide. When I came to, I was lying on a soft bed with a cool cloth on my forehead. Levy sat nearby, holding a large volume, leafing through the pages casually. She wore glasses and her messy blue hair was held back by an orange headband. She looked relaxed… Wait weren't we just in a dangerous situation?_

 _…._

"Erza!" Erza turned to see Jellal looking down anxiously at her. He placed a hand over hers. "Are you alright? You gave me- us quite a scare when you came out of the transport tube unconscious."

"I'm fine." Erza replied coldly, taking the cloth off her head and sitting up, long red locks tumbling down her shoulders. Jellal and Levy stared at her in confusion, their eyes wide and their faced etched with concern. Why was the scarlet haired girl acting so cold?

"Erza, are you alright?" Levy asked with concern. She leaned forward slightly and placed a cool hand on Erza's forehead. "Did the transport tube not agree with you? Is it affecting your mind?"

"Where are we?" Erza asked, ignoring the question. She brushed Levy's hand away.

"In our secret base. We can access it from wherever we want." Jellal replied, still confused. He looked as if he wanted to say something more to her, but held it back because of her attitude.

"Get me out of here." Erza said, getting off the bed. She carefully placed her bare feet on the ground and stood, testing her weight on her legs, making sure that she wasn't wobbly on her feet.

"Erza!" Levy reached out to stop her. Erza shot her a glance.

"What is the matter, Erza? You know that if you get out of here now you'll be killed!" Natsu exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. A door opened and Gajeel walked in to investigate the commotion.

"That is my point exactly." The scarlet haired girl replied.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed, Scarlet?" Gajeel grumbled. Erza cast her gaze to the ground.

"I am much too dependent." Erza replied. "I have managed to stay alive for the past few years without anyone's help. As soon as people started trying to help me, more problems have arisen and now I have lost sight of what I can do." The scarlet haired girl stood calmly. "I ask you three more favors before I depart."

"Erza-" Levy began.

"One, that you stop trying to meddle in my affairs."

"We can't do tha-"

"Two, show me the way out of here."

"Erza please reconsi-"

"And three, give me a fully loaded gun." She spoke with an air of finality. The other four stared at her in astonishment.

"NO! I won't allow it!" Jellal said firmly.

"It isn't about what you allow or not. You aren't my father! I will do what I want, even if I have to beat all four of you up in the process!" Erza said with determination. It was better for them to stay out of her way. Get hurt just this once. Their lives should not be taken away because of her. Jellal look shocked at her comment.

"I wasn't trying to be… your father…" Jellal murmured dejectedly. He looked hurt and bewildered.

"You know you can't do that, Titania." Gajeel laughed. There was a moment of silence. Momentarily distracted, Erza turned to look at Gajeel.

"Titania?" Jellal and Natsu looked confused as well. Jellal's sadness seemed to be put aside for a moment as he raised his thoughts on Gajeel's strange nickname.

"Gajeel makes up nicknames for everyone." Levy explained.

"Gihi, and Levy's nickname is Shrimp 'cause she's so short." Gajeel smirked, hanging his arm loosely around the small girl's shoulders. Levy blushed crimson.

"That aside, you can't make us abide to your requests, Erza!" Jellal shouted. Erza shrugged.

"Fine then. At least let me have a gun." The four exchanged glances. There was no harm in that, was there? She did have a gun earlier. Erza smiled grimly as she noticed their agreement. They were probably thinking that it would be no harm to give her a gun, even if she made it clear that she didn't care if she died earlier. How stupid could they be? Levy reached into her bag and pulled out one of her spare guns. She checked the barrel and handed it to Erza along with a belt of bullets. Erza checked it herself then loaded it.

"Erza?" Natsu asked slowly. Erza held the gun up to the side of her head.

"What the hell, Erza?" Jellal exclaimed. He took a step toward her, intent on taking the gun away.

"You make one move and I'll shoot." Erza said calmly, finger on the trigger.

"She's bluffing. There's no way she'll kill herself." Gajeel said, although he didn't sound very convinced himself.

"I should've known she was going to do that! How could I be so stupid?" Levy cried, slamming her palm against her forehead. Gajeel glanced at her momentarily, a flash of concern passing through his eyes; a look of concern so slight that no one noticed it.

"If I weren't ready to die, why would I ask for you to let me out of here? Don't you think I'll just remain in your care if I didn't want to die?" Erza continued, just as cold and calm as before. Her finger tightened on the trigger. She stared coldly at the four, the cold barrel of the gun against the side of her head. She heard the bullet click into place. Jellal took a tentative step forward. Erza's finger pulled more on the trigger.

"Erza-"

"Take another step forward, I dare you." Erza growled. "You want to keep me alive and you'll be able to do so if you let me leave now." She kept her eyes trained on Jellal.

"Erza, please don't do this." Jellal pleaded. "It's suicide either way. And please don't speak as if we were trying to keep you hostage or prisoner or anything of the sort. We just want to keep you safe. We didn't risk our lives and spend months investigating your case for you to throw yourself to the wolves." His dark eyes were filled with so much concern, Erza was almost swayed. She shook it off.

"Nothing you say can change my mind."

"Please. We've risked so much to help you and this is what you do to repay us?" Jellal pleaded, attempting to guilt trip her.

"You will be repaid by me getting out of your lives and therefore keeping you all safe."

"Safe?" Natsu laughed.

"Since when were we safe?" Levy giggled. The pink haired boy and blue haired girl began to laugh almost maniacally. Erza shot them a look of confusion and looked slightly frightened at their strange behavior.

"You know nothing about us, Titania." A deep voice said from behind her. The gun was wrenched from her hand and the bullets were smoothly taken out and put away.

"OI!" She whirled around and made a mad grab for the gun. Gajeel flipped out of the way and handed the gun to Levy. Now that Erza launched herself at the small bluenette, the brawny dark haired man grabbed her arms and held them firmly with his own, keeping her arms behind her back. Erza spat a lock of red hair that had flown into her mouth in the chaos.

"We can't have you killing yourself." Levy said softly. "You don't want everything we've done and risked our lives for to go to a waste do you?" Erza was silent. Right. It was this again. She had to live for others once more. She had tried to be selfish again and it wasn't helping anyone. She cursed mentally. If only she had just pulled the trigger right then and there. If only she was more observant of her surroundings and noticed that Gajeel had managed to get behind her. If only… if only… Gajeel pulled her down onto a chair and stood by it, glaring at her with vice.

"Stay." He growled. Jellal stood in front of her.

"I think you deserve an explanation, Erza."

"I think I do as well." The scarlet haired girl replied.

"Ask away." Natsu grinned.

"Who are you and why are you helping me?" Erza asked. Jellal stepped forward.

"Well you know who Levy and Gajeel are. They are Private Investigators that serve the government from a secret society known as… Fairy Tail. Natsu and I are also from the secret society but our roles cannot be revealed at this time and place."

"Meaning you're going to keep your real identities secret from me again." Erza narrowed her eyes.

"We don't know their roles either, Erza." Levy said softly. "All we know is that they are from Fairy Tail and that we were sent to help them."

"Alright." Erza was satisfied that one of the people involved in this huge and complicated mess did not have much more information that she did. "Why are you helping me?"

"We've been on your case since well… Millianna's unfortunate death." The four others cast their gaze to the ground.

"Did you know her as well?" Erza whispered, clutching the sides of the chair.

"She was a PI in training." Natsu replied.

"What?!" Erza was completely bewildered. These people have been involved in her life for this long?

"Why she didn't tell you anything, you probably wonder." Jellal said, running a hand through his blue hair, his eyes closed. "She wanted to, believe me. She had only been training for about four months before she passed. There is a protocol that wouldn't allow her to tell anyone until at least 5 months of service. Every day in training, Millianna would brag on and on about her best friend Erza who was a more talented fighter than she; stronger, faster, more intelligent. She wanted to tell you about this training. There was nothing she wanted more than to fight side by side with you as part of Fairy Tail."

"And then I killed her." Erza said bitterly.

"Or did you?" Jellal countered. Erza's head snapped back and stared up at the blue haired man.

"What do you mean?"

"There really has been no proof that you were the one that killed Millianna."

"I was holding the gun; I shot it right at her!" Erza protested.

"Was it in the midst of chaos?" Levy asked. Erza thought for a moment.

"Yes… of course it was."

"You see… I think that someone else killed Millianna but you were in such the perfect situation that they got away with it. It was even better for them that you seriously thought you murdered her." Levy explained.

"And you didn't care to come and tell me this?!" Erza was indignant.

"It didn't occur to us until a little while ago." Jellal explained. "The file had been buried away by the Magnolia Police Department. They didn't wish for anyone to really know about it. We came across it when we were reorganizing the files and the case looked interesting. It seemed a bit suspicious that you would kill someone that was your best friend, Erza. Especially since it appeared that there wasn't enough solid evidence to know whether or not you actually killed her. Therefore, we asked to recover the case and reinvestigate it. The police assured us that we would find nothing, but that didn't stop us. So we spent a while looking at the file and attempt to figure out where we can find our leads."

"That's when Jellal decided to form our squad." Natsu butted in. "I was still of school age and I was going to Fiore Private Academy to uh… fix my bad behavior but old man here transferred me over to Magnolia High so that I could observe you."

"So you only became friends with me because it was part of the job." Erza said slowly, letting the information sink in. She was ready to leave these people that truly had no connections with her. They were only with her because of their job. Otherwise, they would avoid her like the rest.

"Don't take it the wrong way!" Natsu exclaimed. "You're a cool person either way. I'm glad my job allowed me to meet you" At Erza's look he added, "Honestly!" Erza took a moment to think about what they had all just said. They decided to make a squad and investigate her case although the police had long given up on trying to prove her innocent. Then, something that she hadn't thought of before came to mind. Although she was 100% sure she had murdered Millianna, only Simon was a witness. Simon had seemed to hate her even before Millianna had passed. Why was that? Simon had protested against her in court, insisting that she murdered Millianna in cold blood and that she was an emotionless, cold hearted, and mentally instable killer when Erza was sure he knew that she did not mean to do it.

Erza could remember the darkness in Simon's eyes as he stood at the witness stand, feeding lies to all the members of the court when he had sworn to tell the truth. He was a lying, no good, two faced bastard apparently. After his testimony, no one believed a word she said, caught up in the tragic story of a boy who lost his love to his best friend. At that moment in court, Erza saw that the stocky, baby-faced, and kind hearted boy she loved was no longer there. Instead, a truly cold hearted person stood there: a person who would lie in the face of truth, in front of people of power.

"Erza? We want to help your case because we believe you are innocent." Levy said gently. "But we need your cooperation."

"What can a bunch of high school students and one grown man do? Against someone with influence and power? Against someone who had lied in the face of court? Only I know that he is lying, but who would believe a mentally instable murderer? My case is impossible to solve."

"Oh. But we have more power than you think we do, Titania." Gajeel cackled.

"Then why haven't you solved this sooner?!" Erza replied indignantly.

"Just as I said, Erza. We need your cooperation to do this." Levy emphasized her words. Jellal stood quietly behind the other three, watching them attempt to persuade Erza.

"Jellal! Say something in our defense!" Gajeel demanded.

"Erza… I don't like that you see me as the adult and the grown up in all this… I really am not that much older than you…" Jellal murmured. The room grew silent. Jellal, realizing that they had all heard what he said, flushed slightly. "Never mind that. You need to trust us, Erza. Don't throw away your life so soon. You deserve a second chance in all this. Your verdict wasn't fair."

"Fine." Erza sighed. She hated that she was giving in so easily, but she really did wanted to know what happened. These people were bringing up things that she had never thought about before. She had just accepted what others told her because she could not remember the exact happenings of the tragic event. The other four sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness." Levy breathed, sinking to the ground. "I was having a panic attack because of this." Gajeel kept a suspicious eye on Erza.

"I still don't trust that you will stay here with us, Titania. Be warned, I'm not letting you off lightly."

"That's a smart thing to do." Natsu said, gaping at the dark haired male.

"I'm smarter than you are, Flame Brain!" Gajeel snapped.

"NO! I'm definitely smarter, Iron Face!" Natsu shot back. The two began to wrestle on the ground. Jellal stepped calmly around them to the door Gajeel had entered in earlier.

"I will get us all some tea." He said. Levy stood, dodged the bodies on the ground and perched on the arm of Erza's chair. Erza was surprised of how easily the small girl balanced on the armrest.

"Thank you so much for agreeing to stay with us." She told Erza, placing a small hand on Erza's shoulder.

"I just want answers." Erza sighed. "I thought that I had nothing left to live for and there would be nothing much I could do if I stayed alive, but you made me realize that I shouldn't believe I'm guilty without answers." Erza buried her face in her hands. "I can't comprehend why Simon would turn against me like that."

"Did you love Simon, Erza?" Levy asked softly. Erza looked up, startled. Her cheeks turned red.

"I think I did love him." Erza murmured. "He was strong, dependable, and kind. He was someone I wouldn't mind leaning on." Her eyes narrowed. "If he had something to do with Millianna's death, I will never forgive him."

"I don't know." Levy said, leaning back slightly. "All my information about him leads to him having strong feelings for the both of you. And it really does seem like he did love Millianna." The fairy like girl gave Erza a concerned look as she spoke.

"It's alright." Erza replied. "I have long accepted that Simon did not love me." Levy nodded and continued.

"If he truly did love her, it would not make sense that he would kill her. Try to remember, Erza. What happened the night Millianna died? You said that Simon was the only witness, but at the same time you said there was chaos all about?" Erza watched the two adolescent boys roll across the ground, screaming profanities at one another.

"I told this story to the people of the court, so if you read my file it should be in there. It shouldn't be anything new, but if you really want to know… Simon, Millianna, and I were walking home from karaoke. It was Sabertooth Karaoke."

"Oh I know that place." Levy exclaimed. Erza nodded.

"We were joking around as usual, heading down to Millianna's house first because it was closest. As we were walking, all of a sudden, someone ran by and crashed into Millianna. He looked like some gang member. He looked frightened out of his wits and held a gun in one hand. Despite that, he screamed 'Get out of my way, brat!' and pushed himself off of Millianna, not caring that he had hurt her. In the next few moments, a whole group of people came running down the alley and trampled us over."

Erza paused and rubbed her arm as if remembering the injuries she had sustained that day.

"Simon was outraged and that was when he showed a side of him that I had never seen before. His temper broke and he shouted so loudly and so angrily, the sound shot through me like a bullet. He rushed at the fighting gang members without any thought or reason. I crawled through the crowd, trying to find Millianna. I could feel people running over me, tripping over me, crashing into me. I could feel the bruises welling up on my legs and the snap of a rib being broken, but still I crawled on. When I had located Millianna, I gripped her arm. She looked up, frightened, her clothes riddled with boot prints, blood running down the side of her face. When she saw it was me, she clung to me, and together we made it out of the crowd."

Erza took a slow and shaky breath.

"We escaped into the alley the gang had come out of, not the smartest idea, but it was the best we could think of in the spur of the moment. Millianna had wanted to go back for Simon but I pushed her forward, telling her that once she was safe I would go back and help him. I assured her that he knew what he was doing and would come back to us soon. She wasn't sure however. She wasn't stupid. She knew that Simon wasn't in his right mind. But she followed me… she trusted me… We escaped down the alley and crashed into one guy, some guy who was probably reinforcements or something. Why you would need reinforcements against a child, I don't know, but he came running down the alley and bumped straight into us. He had a gun. I picked it up quickly when he dropped it and pointed it at him. He ran. Millianna and I rested behind a large dumpster when we heard loud footsteps walk down the alleyway. They got faster and faster and quieted when it was near us. I caught sight of a pair of evil dark eyes and I closed my eyes, raised my arms, and screamed."

Tears were streaming down Erza's cheeks.

"When I opened… when I opened my eyes, the dark eyed person wasn't there. Instead, Millianna was crumpled on the ground and Simon was staring at me with wide eyes. 'You killed her… you killed her!' Simon had screamed at me. He wrenched the gun from my hand and began to shake me rigorously. He kept on shouting at me and I sat there on my knees, numb, staring at nothing. His words echoed through my head. I had killed her it seemed…"

Erza shook her head and wiped away her tears.

"As you can see, my story just proves that I killed her. It is the perfect evidence for it."

"Your eyes were closed and the only witness was Simon. And he seemed horribly unstable that day too. We can't take his word for it." Levy said dismissively. Erza looked up at the blue haired beauty, a tear falling on the back of her hand. A small smile graced Levy's rosy lips as she bent down, resting a soft hand on Erza's head. "We think you're innocent, Erza, and we are going to prove it."

"Ya heard the Shrimp!" Gajeel chortled in agreement, flashing Erza a toothy grin.

"WE CAN DO IT!" Natsu exclaimed, giving them a thumbs up. Jellal walked placed a gentle hand on Erza's shoulder and leaned slightly to the side, his bangs falling across his forehead. The smile that took Erza's breath away appeared on his face.

"For you, Erza, I would do anything." He murmured quietly, only for her ears to hear. She turned toward him, confused, a blush tinting her cheeks. What did the older man mean?

"Then it's settled." Levy said, grinning smugly. "We are going to solve your case no matter what." The others shouted in agreement and Erza smiled brightly. Maybe… maybe she could get through this without hurting anyone else.

 **A/N: Well now that that's done, time to continue burning my AP book.**

 **Please read and review! I'm hoping to get at least another 10 reviews on this chapter before posting another one? If it isn't too much trouble.**

 **~Aika**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Uh… hi. /is shot/**

 **Okay, I know. It's been nearly a year since I last updated Seven Wishes. I've been getting a lot of reviews and PMs asking me if I was discontinuing this fic, and no I am not. I really don't have any other excuses other than school ehehe. Junior year this upcoming school year! I am not ready for death.**

 **Thank you all for your patience and please enjoy this chapter. Read and Review!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

 **…**

 _Ever since your death, Millianna, I've never felt any love or care. You and Simon were the only people outside of my immediate family that seemed to care about me. My parents were perfectly understanding and amazing people. I had thought that they would be the first to come to my defense when my case went up to court._

 _No… They were the first to throw me under the bus, staring at me in disbelief. They hurled their accusations at me, blaming me for your death. …You were a daughter to them, Millianna. Because you were my friend. But as soon as you were 'killed' at 'my' hands, they abandoned me. Had they loved you more than they loved me, their own daughter?_

 _Don't get me wrong. I love you too. You can't blame me for feeling neglected because my parents cared more for my friend than they did for their own daughter, can you?_

 _On a different note, I have found people who seem to care for me. I... I can't say that I trust them just yet. My heart isn't ready to accept new people. I have only known them for a several days but my heart seems to be reaching out to them. Perhaps it's just because people are showing me love. Love is an emotion I haven't felt in a long time. I can't deny that my heart desires love and care. My guard must be up, however. I can't let trustworthy people enter my heart and destroy it._

 _…._

They sat around a table, watching as Levy bent over it, reviewing their evidence. She used a finger to trace along the paths that Simon, Millianna, and Erza had taken on the fateful night. She drew a red X over the 'scene of the crime'. Levy listened intently with a focused face as Erza described the event: the direction the attackers had come from, where Millianna and Erza ran, where Simon had gone.

"Levy…" Erza said as she watched the blue haired beauty draw on the map. "I still don't see how tracing our paths could help us discover anything. This was years ago. No evidence would be left behind. The only thing we can do is ask for witnesses…" The scarlet haired girl twisted the material of her shirt around her fingers as she spoke.

"Are any of the members of the gang you encountered still in custody?" Levy mused aloud. "With this information, I can look through our records and figure out exactly which group had run through that night. Then, I will track their members, see if their group is still at large, and if we still have any of them in custody. Surely one of them was there that night."

"And don't worry." Jellal added. "We've been in more dangerous situations. This isn't the first time we've tracked down a gang." He ran his fingers through his unruly hair, his eyes concentrated.

"Perhaps… perhaps Simon was affiliated with the gang. I still don't understand who he got to chase after me…" Erza realized. Her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. She didn't want to believe that he could be affiliated with them. Why would he leap into a fight with his own gang members?

"Right!" Levy exclaimed, mouth open in surprise. "I completely forgot that we still haven't figured out the car that was chasing us! How stupid of me. I had just assumed that it was a car that this Simon person had hired to chase us… How careless…" Jellal tossed a hard drive onto the table.

"Recording from the hidden camera on the bumper of my car." He said. Levy scooped it up and whipped out a laptop. She plugged the drive into the USB compartment and brought up the video. She pressed play and Erza found herself reliving the car chase; this time from a rearview. Levy paused the video as the car drew near enough to see its license plate.

"45K8L." She read aloud. Gajeel scrawled the numbers down on the back of a random receipt and pocketed it.

"Email the file to the FT." Jellal commanded. Levy opened a tab and logged into her email. Then, she sent the file to ftguild fairyweb . net.

"Oh, Erza. I just made an email for you too." Levy said with a smile. Erza, who had been watching the computer screen the entire time, looked up, confused. She had not seen Levy do such a thing in the entire time Erza had been watching the screen. Levy winked.

"Your email is titaniascarlet fairyweb . net. Your password is…" Levy leaned in toward Erza to whisper in her ear. "…jerzajellalxerza." Erza flushed scarlet.

"Levy!" Levy winked and giggled. Erza blushed even deeper red as Jellal shot her a concerned glance. "It isn't like that, Levy!"

"What isn't like that?" Jellal asked. "Your face is turning red, Erza, are you alright? Are you running a fever?"

"If you say so." The bluenette sang as the red head shook her head vigorously at Jellal's question. Levy's eyes were full of mischief as she smiled brightly at the scarlet haired girl. "Jokes aside, since we have sent our evidence over to our… employer, we can be assured that they have a lookout on the suspected vehicle."

"I believe that our pursuers were only pursuing us because they knew that we were FT agents." Jellal observed, sitting down in an office chair. "I don't think they knew that Erza was inside the vehicle along with us."

"I'm sure those idiots didn't see her when she jumped down." Gajeel said thoughtfully.

"They couldn't be idiots if they managed to keep on her tail despite our maneuvers." Levy shook her head.

"I say Erza should make her hair blue or something!" Natsu suggested. "So no one will know who she is!"

"Natsu that is ridiculous." Jellal said, shaking his head.

"We might have to do something like that if it comes to it." Levy mused.

"I told you that I didn't want to trouble you." Erza insisted.

"We have to protect you." Natsu protested.

"We need to protect you." Levy reassured her.

"We want to protect you." Jellal insisted.

"You guys are too sappy this is disgusting." Gajeel grumbled. "I didn't sign up for this job 'cause of its sentimental value."

"GAJEEL!" The other three secret agents screeched. He winced and turned toward Erza.

"Yeah yeah yeah we uh… we can protect you." Erza laughed at his attempt to follow pattern set by the others. Levy beamed at him.

"You deserve a kiss for that." Gajeel's blue haired girlfriend smiled. She stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Your relationship seems so innocent when you're in front of me." Jellal said disapprovedly. "Don't think I don't know about that exchange in front of your entire class." Levy stuck out her tongue at her older brother. Erza laughed softly. Levy didn't seem to care too much about what her brother thought about them. Sure she had some respect for him, but Levy didn't seem like the type to follow his every order like a loyal puppy.

Suddenly, Jellal's phone rang. The urgent beeping bounced off the walls. The room fell silent as he answered the call.

"Hello? Yes this is he." He turned slightly away from them. "Yes. What do you suggest we do? I see… That wouldn't be too troublesome. Yes. I understand. Thank you sir." He hung up and turned back toward the other four. "The Master wants us back at HQ."

"How does he suggest we do that?" Gajeel scoffed, his arm wrapped around his little girlfriend.

"The Tunnels." The words flew out of Erza's mouth before she could stop herself. The other four looked at her in surprise.

"How do you know about the Tunnels?" Levy removed Gajeel's arm from around her shoulders and placed her hands on Erza's shoulders. "That's top secret FT information."

"I don't know…" Erza looked around, bewildered. "Somehow I just knew.. I don't know…"

"There is definitely more to your situation than we think." Jellal muttered darkly. "But yes, we are taking the tunnels. Come on." He approached a painting on the wall. He removed it and pressed his hand on the wall behind it. When he removed his hand, Erza caught sight of a drop of blood falling from his hand. She started forward, her eyes wide.

"He's fine, Titania." Gajeel grumbled. "I've heard you sustained worse injuries than that measly cut." Erza bit her lip and watched as the door slid open. There, in the entrance to the Tunnels was a six seat cart. Jellal held a hand out to Erza.

"Let's go." He said, smiling at her with encouragement. Gajeel and Levy clambered into the front seat. Jellal helped Erza into the seat behind them, then took the seat beside her. Natsu took the seat at the rear. The doors to the Tunnels slid shut. Levy pressed a button and they were on their way.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Natsu and Gajeel groaned in unison. Erza looked at the two of them with confusion.

"They have motion sickness." Levy explained.

"But I don't understand. They seemed to be perfectly fine in the cars we have been in before." Erza observed. She looked at the two of them. Natsu was hanging off the side of the vehicle, looking extremely pale. Gajeel was complaining and moaning in pain. Levy rolled her eyes at him.

"They have developed immunity to cars. We're in them constantly. They kind of have to be immune to cars. Their jobs would be at risk if they weren't." Jellal shrugged. "Tunnels, on the other hand, aren't used as often. They are used for dangerous missions such as this where we are required to protect someone or if one of us is being targeted. We haven't gone on many of those missions so they're fine for the most part." Levy was rummaging through a backpack she had taken from the hideout.

"Aha!" She exclaimed, whipping her small hand out of the bag. She was clutching a pill case and was beaming with bride. Erza watched the smaller girl force feed the pill to Gajeel and Natsu. She turned to face front and the wind blew her scarlet locks back, sending it whipping about. She tried to secure it so that it did not fly around like a wild mane, but she had nothing to tie it with. Erza felt gentle hands pull her hair back and startled, she turned. Jellal gave her an apologetic and embarrassed look.

"I'm sorry. I just thought that you might like it tied back. You seemed to be uncomfortable with your hair flying like that." He sputtered, flustered.

"Oh no, I appreciate your help." Erza replied, blushing. She turned back so that he could not see the redness of her cheeks. She could feel Jellal's hands weaving through her hair, plaiting her silky scarlet locks. She could feel his smooth fingers brushing against her neck as he wove her hair. She shuddered involuntarily, then hoped that he hadn't noticed.

BADUMP

Erza gasped as images flashed through her mind. Splattered crimson blood. A heart wrenching scream. Flashing lights. A pain in her chest. Millianna's falling form.

BADMUP

 _"NO! You can't do this to me!"_

BADUMP

 _"…I trusted you…"_

BADUMP

 _"IT ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! PLEASE, YOU MUST BELIEVE ME!"_

BADUMP

 _"I don't know who you are anymore."_

BADUMP

 _"Stay away from me!"_

 _….._

Jellal shook Erza, attempting to wake her but to no avail. His eyes were filled with desperation, putting a hand against her forehead. Sweat dripped from Erza's brow, her mouth opened slightly. A pained whimper escaped Erza's lips and she tossed and turned fitfully in Jellal's arms.

Levy bent over the railing separating the front seat from the middle one. She was fumbling with a pill case. Levy removed a small pink sphere pill from the container. The cart took a sharp turn, nearly throwing Levy overboard. Gajeel was quick to steady his blue haired girlfriend who threw him a grateful look. Levy attempted to slip the pill into Erza's mouth, but as she reached over, Erza pursed her lips. Levy groaned. She pushed the pill onto Erza's lips but the scarlet haired beauty kept her lips shut firmly.

"Don't make me have to kiss you, Erza." Levy muttered to herself. She clambered over the railing and squeezed in the space Erza had been sitting before Jellal gathered her on his lap. Levy slipped her slender fingers into Erza's mouth and pried it open. She then slipped the pill into Erza's mouth. Gajeel passed her a water bottle. Levy opened the water bottle.

"What are you doing, Levy? Surely you know that if you pour that down her throat, she could choke." Jellal said worriedly. Natsu, still hung over the side of the cart, gave a moan of agreement. Levy lifted the water bottle to her own lips.

"Shrimp, are you going to kiss Titania?" Gajeel gasped in horror. "Get Bluey over here to do it!" Levy gave him a look.

"I don't think that Erza would appreciate being kissed by a man without her permission. As a girl and a certified field nurse, I can do what I need to." Levy tipped the water bottle into her mouth then bent down, pressed her mouth to Erza's, then forced the water and the pill down the other girl's throat. She then pulled away and wiped her lips with her mouth. Erza coughed and spluttered, then relaxed again, still unconscious. This time, however, the crease on her brow was smooth and she appeared to be at peace. Levy nodded, considering her work done, then climbed back up to the front seat.

…..

 _"You might've escaped now, my pretty, but be warned, you can't hide forever."_

…..

"She hasn't stirred for eight hours now." Dr. Porlyusica told the concerned Jellal Fernandes. He had been pacing before the door to Erza's ward until the doctor came out to inform him of Erza's condition.

"She can't stay here for very long." Jellal groaned, clutching his hair. "It isn't safe."

"It is a lot safer than running around outside like you stupid humans do. Her condition is a delicate one. Surely you thought that she was strong. Now listen, she still has trauma from her friend's death. She should've been admitted into a hospital to undergo treatment so very long ago." Porlyusica snapped.

"Staying here would just make her an easier target for her pursuers!" Jellal protested.

"Does it look like she's in any condition to move? She would just be a liability to you if you tried to move her while she's unconscious! It wouldn't be good for her either, you hear me?" Porlyusica snapped the pencil she was holding. "She needs to go under treatment immediately! The trauma is interfering with her brain waves and can eventually halt all bodily functions. If she does not remain hospitalized to calm herself down, she can become brain dead or be shut down altogether. Do _not_ push the matter any further, useless human! Stop your moping and return to your duties!" The pink haired old doctor went back into Erza's room, slamming the door shut behind her. Jellal sunk to the ground before the door.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't international heartthrob Jellal Fernandes!" A sweet, high voice laughed. Jellal, without looking up, groaned in response.

"Lady Heartfilia, don't you have other things to do than torment me like this?" A gentle hand forced him to look up at her. The blonde haired beauty shook her head in disappointment.

"You shouldn't be moping in front of this door. They are holding a meeting and you must be present." She scolded. Despite her teasing, she gave him a gentle smile. Her eyes told him that she understood the current situation. "I volunteered to come get you!"

Lucy Heartfilia was the daughter of Jude Heartfilia who was the CEO of the Heartfilia Business Enterprises. Her mother, the well known model Layla Heartfilia, had been murdered when Lucy was just twelve years old. The incompetent police officers and investigators were unable to determine the cause of Layla's death until the late model's twelve year old daughter pointed out the supposedly obvious needle pricks. Within the five months allotted for the investigation and tracking of the murderer, the officials had discovered nothing. Lucy, outraged that her mother's murderer would not be brought to justice, decided to take matters into her own hands. She went straight to the head department of investigation to speak with the lead police chief. She had taken funds from her personal bank account to request the development of a secret investigation squad under her supervision. Of course, the police chief was wary and untrusting of this young girl. One of the police officers stepped up and offered to take up the job even when the chief refused Lucy's request. This officer was the Makarov Dreyar. He admired the young girl's spirit and resolve and offered to place his own squad under her command. This was done in secret, away from the eyes of the police chief.

Makarov Dreyar's squad consisted of his friend, Macao Cobolt, and several PITs: Jellal Fernandes (16), Laxus Dreyar (19), and Mirajane Strauss (19). This squad scoured documents, reinvestigated the crime scene, and interviewed possible witnesses. They trusted no one and questioned everyone, even Lucy herself. If investigators and police couldn't find the culprit before, it was probably someone who could easily slip under the nose of these policemen, or someone with the money to bribe them away. Of course, the investigators of this squad found the identity of the murderer immediately, but the name was never released to public.

Jellal groaned, but allowed the sunny haired girl to drag him down the hall to the meeting room. He had a fond place in his heart for her. Since she was Levy's best friend, Lucy was practically a sister to Jellal. He had known her even before she called for that private squad to be formed. He was pleasantly surprised to know that he would come to work under her.

"Jellal, there you are." Makarov commented as the young investigator stepped into the room. He took the vacant seat besides Mirajane. The white haired beauty gave Jellal a long glance, looking him over. Her eyes were stern and her lips were set in a straight line. When she caught him looking at her, she gave him a soft smile.

"Long time no see, Jellal." She said cheerfully. "You've been out undercover for a while, haven't you?" Jellal gave her a grim smile. He wasn't really out undercover. He just got caught in Erza's case while he was hiding from the headquarters and neglecting his duties. It was just killing two birds with one stone, something Jellal thought was his area of expertise. He allowed himself to smile only because he knew that Mirajane would pounce on him and most likely kill him if he didn't return her smile.

"Alright. Let us begin this meeting, shall we?" Makarov declared.

…

Erza awoke to a bright white ceiling and the feeling of a heavy weight on her chest. She found it difficult to breathe. Forcing air in and out of her lungs caused a burning pain in her chest. The faint whiz of a working oxygen tank made her force herself to relax, allowing the machine to breathe for her. She heard the sound of the heavy metal door being pushed open, so she shut her eyes once more laid there, immobilized. She cursed herself mentally. Why was she so weak? Why did she keep collapsing? Why is she here, under the support of machines, surrounded by people who were much stronger than she was? She clenched her fists, gripping the bedsheets.

"I know you're awake." A dull voice said. Erza opened her eyes again and blinked a few times, waiting for her eyes to become accustomed to the bright light. An old pink haired woman stood above her.

"Who-" Erza's voice cracked and the pain in her chest multiplied by the thousands.

"Don't attempt to speak, foolish human. Your body has undergone too much stress." The woman snapped. "And to answer your question, I am Porlyusica." Erza watched as Porlyusica moved about the room, collecting different things from different cabinets, cramming all of the herbs into a small bowl.

"What-"

"Didn't I tell you not to speak?" Porlyusica growled. "I am gathering herbs for a concoction to help alleviate your pain, insolent human. You are suffering from some severe head trauma and are beginning to show signs of stress and depression." Erza opened her mouth, but the nurse shot her a glare. "You don't feel depressed, I know. I received a report that you threatened to kill yourself? Sure you were just trying to get the other humans to compromise for you, but somewhere deep inside that human mind of yours, you wanted to kill yourself." Erza shook her head slightly, wincing at the movement.

…

 _There was no way I would kill myself now. I know I thought about it, but I know now that I can't do that. I just couldn't! It would be weak. It wouldn't solve anything. Millianna, I don't know what to do. I don't know if what I'm doing is right anymore. I'm too weak. I could never solve anything. Too many people have been nursing me back to health, protecting me from danger._

 _I'm useless. I'm helpless. I thought I was doing something by leaving my parents, but all I have done is create more trouble for others. More trouble for everyone._

…

Erza spent the next few days in intensive care. Porlyusica had banned all others from visiting the hospital room, refusing to inform anyone of Erza's status. Even Jellal did not know if Erza was awake or not. It worried the rest of the department, but no one could go against the doctor's orders.

As soon as the scarlet haired girl could walk and talk, she demanded that she begin physical therapy. Reluctantly, Porlyusica complied.

Every day, the doctor would lead Erza around the room, having her perform special exercises to allow her to regain the strength to move her body effortlessly. Day by day, Erza began to get stronger.

As soon as she regained her full health, she demanded that she begin physical training. She wanted to learn how to fight, to shoot a gun. She wanted to be on par with the agents around her so that she was not a burden. Porlyusica had assured Erza that there would be no need to train, that Erza wouldn't have to leave the headquarters for a long time. However, that didn't deter the scarlet haired girl from insisting on training. Admiring Erza's persistence, Porlyusica complied.

Through the weeks that Erza had been regaining her strength, the rest of the headquarters was still in the dark on Erza's condition. Jellal marched into the hospital wing daily, ordering Porlyusica to tell him if Erza was awake. Stubborn as she was, the doctor refused to tell him anything.

And so, Erza trained in secret. Every day she would practice building up her strength, her endurance. She ran until she could not run any longer. She punched and kicked until she could no longer feel her arms and legs. She trained until she could no longer move. She trained by day and studied by night. Porlyusica remained by her side, nursing her wounds and answering her questions.

One day, Erza decided that she had honed her skills enough.

"Porlyusica." Erza said suddenly as the healing master was mixing potions.

"What is it?" Porlyusica answered shortly.

"I need to learn how to shoot a gun." A pregnant pause followed her statement.

"Why?" The doctor asked.

"It's the last thing I need to do. Sheer strength will not help me fight against Simon and the people pursuing me. I need to learn how to shoot a gun." Erza said firmly. With a sigh, the doctor led the scarlet haired girl into the physical therapy room. With a few clicks of a button, she opened a shooting range in the room.

"Erza." Porlyusica said softly. "You need to understand that this gun can take a life in a single shot… especially with your accuracy." Erza bit her lip and stared at the metal weapon in Porlyusica's hand.

"I know…" Erza whispered. If anything, she knew this better than anyone else.

"You have to understand." Porlyusica insisted. "This isn't a toy."

"I know…" Erza murmured. The doctor reached forward and placed the gun into Erza's hand. The cold metal was familiar on her skin. It brought chills down her spine.

 _The last time you held a gun like this, you killed your best friend._

Erza shook off her thoughts. She couldn't let the voice inside her mind take control of her. She needed to be strong. She couldn't live if she wasn't strong. She couldn't continue with her life if she wasn't strong.

With great difficulty, she lifted the gun and aimed it at the target. She was trembling. Her entire body was shaking. Her finger was on the trigger. Her eyes were on the target. Her knees were pressed together. Sweat dripped down her forehead. She bit her lip in an effort to remain calm. Coppery liquid trickled into her mouth. Her breathing became labored.

 _You shoot that gun, and someone will be hurt._

Her breaths came in gasps. Her hands were shaking too much. Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision.

"No…" She cried. "I need to do this.. I-I can't…" Her eyes locked shut. She forced herself to take deep breaths. She opened her eyes once more. She lifted her arms and aimed the gun at the target. With a twitch, she pulled the trigger.

The deafening bang of the gun caused Erza to scream and drop the offending weapon.

…

 _Millianna's mouth was wide, her eyes glassy and open in shock. A rose blossomed in her chest and crimson poison poured from it. Her limp body collapsed onto the ground._

…

She backed away quickly until her back was to the cold wall. She sunk to the ground, screaming still. Porlyusica was instantly at her side, gripping the girl's hands, attempting to calm her.

…

 _"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Simon screamed, shaking the scarlet haired girl. He wrenched the gun from her hands and flung it to the ground. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? YOU… YOU MURDERER!"_

 _"I…. I" She couldn't form any words._

 _"YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED MILLIANNA!"_

 _"No… I…"_

…

Sobs racked her slight form. Erza shoved Porlyusica away from her. Wailing still, she punched the concrete floor. Over and over and over. Her knuckles were bruised, but still she continued. Porlyusica ran forward, grabbing the girl's arms, attempting to restrain her.

…

 _"LET ME GO! LET ME SEE HER!" Erza screamed, fighting the handcuffs._

 _"You are under arrest for the murder of Millianna. You have the right to remain silent." The officer restraining her said icily. Erza continued to fight and scream as she watched her friend's lifeless body being carried away on a gurney._

 _"I DIDN'T- I COULDN'T- I… I would never…" Erza slowly lost the will to fight."_

 _…_

Blood from the cuts on her hand trickled onto the ground.

…

 _Erza gazed at her reflection in the mirror for the first time in five months. She covered her mouth and attempted not to vomit. The shade of her hair was the same shade as the blood the oozed from Millianna's bullet wound._

 _Trembling, she lifted the knife. In one swift movement, her crimson locks were swept onto the wooden flooring._

…

"Erza! Erza Scarlet, look at me!" Porlyusica pleaded, clutching the girl's hands.

Scarlet…

 _…_

 _"Why don't we call you Erza Scarlet?" Jellal asked. He lifted a lock of her hair and smiled. Erza fought back tears._

 _"Thank you…" She whispered. Jellal thought that she was thanking him for giving her a new name. He thought._

 _But Erza… she was thanking him for loving the color of her hair._

 _The color scarlet._

 _Synonymous of crimson._

 _The same color…_

 _As blood…_

 _Millianna's blood…_


End file.
